Business Accounting
Accounting for property investors, from one property to a portfolio.
Owning investment property brings tax questions most people only meet once a year: what you can claim, how depreciation works, whose name the property should be in and what happens when you sell. We look after property investors across Melbourne so every return is right and every decision is made with the tax in view.
Led by Sam Draper
Your property deserves an accountant who thinks past this year’s return.
Accuracy
We separate repairs from improvements, interest from principal and deductible costs from the ones the ATO won’t accept, so your return stands up if it is reviewed.
Planning
We look at each purchase before you sign: whose name it goes in, how the loan is set up and what the after-tax cost really is.
Up to date
For established homes bought after 12 May 2026, the negative gearing and CGT rules are changing. We explain what applies to your properties and what doesn’t.
Joined up
Our mortgage brokers sit down the hall, so your loan structure and your tax position are planned together rather than fixed after the fact.
Records
We keep your purchase costs, capital works and depreciation schedules organised, so the numbers are ready when you sell, years from now.
In short:Elephant Advisory helps Melbourne property investors with tax returns, rental deductions, depreciation, capital gains and ownership structures, including how the 2026 negative gearing changes apply to each property. Sam Draper and our accounting team plan with you before you buy or sell, not just at tax time.
Led by Sam Draper, Director & Head of Accounting · Chartered Accountant (CA) · Xero specialist.
What’s included
Accounting services built for property investors.
The accounting help property investors rely on to claim what they are entitled to and plan ahead.
Tax returns with rental schedules
We prepare your return and rental property schedules each year, claiming every deduction you are entitled to and nothing you are not.
Depreciation and capital works
We work with your quantity surveyor’s schedule to claim capital works and eligible plant and equipment, and explain why some items in older homes can’t be claimed.
Capital gains tax
We work out the CGT when you sell, including the main residence exemption and the six-year absence rule where they apply.
Ownership structures
Individual names, joint, a family trust or a company: we model the tax for each before you buy, because changing structure later can be costly.
2026 rule changes
We review how the new negative gearing and CGT rules apply to each property you own, based on when and what you bought.
Tax planning
We plan before 30 June: interest prepayments, repairs timing and how rental income sits with your other income.
Structures we plan for
Sole traders
Partnerships
Companies
Family trusts
SMSFs
Not sure yours still fits? Business structure review
Industries we know well
Why us
If these problems sound familiar, you’re not alone.
The tax problems property investors run into most, and how we fix them.
Going it alone
Not sure what you can claim
Repairs and improvements mixed up
No depreciation schedule
Surprised by CGT on sale
Unclear on the 2026 changes
With Elephant Advisory
Every allowable deduction claimed
Costs classed correctly
Depreciation claimed every year
CGT worked out before you sell
Rules applied property by property
“We help property investors claim what they are entitled to and plan each purchase with the tax in view.”
Your accountants
Qualified, Xero-certified and easy to reach
FAQ
Let's clear a few things up.
No jargon, no runaround - just honest answers.
Not always, but it helps once you have more than one property or you are planning a purchase or sale. The rules on deductions, depreciation and CGT are detailed, and they changed in 2026 for established homes. Proactive planning beats a once-a-year return.
Generally the interest on the investment loan, rates, insurance, property management fees, repairs and depreciation. Improvements are claimed over time, not all at once, and travel to inspect a residential rental hasn’t been deductible since 1 July 2017.
For established residential properties bought after 7.30pm on 12 May 2026, from 1 July 2027 a net rental loss can only be offset against residential property income or gains, not your salary. Newly built homes keep the old treatment, and properties bought before that time are grandfathered.
It depends on your income, your family, your plans for the property and how you will borrow. Each structure is taxed differently and changing it later can trigger stamp duty and CGT, so it is worth modelling before you sign.
Usually, yes. A quantity surveyor’s schedule lets you claim capital works and eligible plant and equipment each year. For residential rentals bought after 9 May 2017, second-hand plant and equipment generally can’t be depreciated, so we check what you can claim.
Keep purchase, improvement and selling records for at least five years after you sell, because they are needed to work out your capital gain.
Related services
General information only. Talk to your accountant about your circumstances.
Business Accounting
Accounting for property investors, from one property to a portfolio.
Owning investment property brings tax questions most people only meet once a year: what you can claim, how depreciation works, whose name the property should be in and what happens when you sell. We look after property investors across Melbourne so every return is right and every decision is made with the tax in view.
Led by Sam Draper
Your property deserves an accountant who thinks past this year’s return.
Accuracy
We separate repairs from improvements, interest from principal and deductible costs from the ones the ATO won’t accept, so your return stands up if it is reviewed.
Planning
We look at each purchase before you sign: whose name it goes in, how the loan is set up and what the after-tax cost really is.
Up to date
For established homes bought after 12 May 2026, the negative gearing and CGT rules are changing. We explain what applies to your properties and what doesn’t.
Joined up
Our mortgage brokers sit down the hall, so your loan structure and your tax position are planned together rather than fixed after the fact.
Records
We keep your purchase costs, capital works and depreciation schedules organised, so the numbers are ready when you sell, years from now.
In short:Elephant Advisory helps Melbourne property investors with tax returns, rental deductions, depreciation, capital gains and ownership structures, including how the 2026 negative gearing changes apply to each property. Sam Draper and our accounting team plan with you before you buy or sell, not just at tax time.
Led by Sam Draper, Director & Head of Accounting · Chartered Accountant (CA) · Xero specialist.
What’s included
Accounting services built for property investors.
The accounting help property investors rely on to claim what they are entitled to and plan ahead.
Tax returns with rental schedules
We prepare your return and rental property schedules each year, claiming every deduction you are entitled to and nothing you are not.
Depreciation and capital works
We work with your quantity surveyor’s schedule to claim capital works and eligible plant and equipment, and explain why some items in older homes can’t be claimed.
Capital gains tax
We work out the CGT when you sell, including the main residence exemption and the six-year absence rule where they apply.
Ownership structures
Individual names, joint, a family trust or a company: we model the tax for each before you buy, because changing structure later can be costly.
2026 rule changes
We review how the new negative gearing and CGT rules apply to each property you own, based on when and what you bought.
Tax planning
We plan before 30 June: interest prepayments, repairs timing and how rental income sits with your other income.
Structures we plan for
Sole traders
Partnerships
Companies
Family trusts
SMSFs
Not sure yours still fits? Business structure review
Industries we know well
Why us
If these problems sound familiar, you’re not alone.
The tax problems property investors run into most, and how we fix them.
Going it alone
Not sure what you can claim
Repairs and improvements mixed up
No depreciation schedule
Surprised by CGT on sale
Unclear on the 2026 changes
With Elephant Advisory
Every allowable deduction claimed
Costs classed correctly
Depreciation claimed every year
CGT worked out before you sell
Rules applied property by property
“We help property investors claim what they are entitled to and plan each purchase with the tax in view.”
Your accountants
Qualified, Xero-certified and easy to reach
FAQ
Let's clear a few things up.
No jargon, no runaround - just honest answers.
Not always, but it helps once you have more than one property or you are planning a purchase or sale. The rules on deductions, depreciation and CGT are detailed, and they changed in 2026 for established homes. Proactive planning beats a once-a-year return.
Generally the interest on the investment loan, rates, insurance, property management fees, repairs and depreciation. Improvements are claimed over time, not all at once, and travel to inspect a residential rental hasn’t been deductible since 1 July 2017.
For established residential properties bought after 7.30pm on 12 May 2026, from 1 July 2027 a net rental loss can only be offset against residential property income or gains, not your salary. Newly built homes keep the old treatment, and properties bought before that time are grandfathered.
It depends on your income, your family, your plans for the property and how you will borrow. Each structure is taxed differently and changing it later can trigger stamp duty and CGT, so it is worth modelling before you sign.
Usually, yes. A quantity surveyor’s schedule lets you claim capital works and eligible plant and equipment each year. For residential rentals bought after 9 May 2017, second-hand plant and equipment generally can’t be depreciated, so we check what you can claim.
Keep purchase, improvement and selling records for at least five years after you sell, because they are needed to work out your capital gain.
Related services
General information only. Talk to your accountant about your circumstances.
Business Accounting
Accounting for property investors, from one property to a portfolio.
Owning investment property brings tax questions most people only meet once a year: what you can claim, how depreciation works, whose name the property should be in and what happens when you sell. We look after property investors across Melbourne so every return is right and every decision is made with the tax in view.
Led by Sam Draper
Your property deserves an accountant who thinks past this year’s return.
Accuracy
We separate repairs from improvements, interest from principal and deductible costs from the ones the ATO won’t accept, so your return stands up if it is reviewed.
Planning
We look at each purchase before you sign: whose name it goes in, how the loan is set up and what the after-tax cost really is.
Up to date
For established homes bought after 12 May 2026, the negative gearing and CGT rules are changing. We explain what applies to your properties and what doesn’t.
Joined up
Our mortgage brokers sit down the hall, so your loan structure and your tax position are planned together rather than fixed after the fact.
Records
We keep your purchase costs, capital works and depreciation schedules organised, so the numbers are ready when you sell, years from now.
In short:Elephant Advisory helps Melbourne property investors with tax returns, rental deductions, depreciation, capital gains and ownership structures, including how the 2026 negative gearing changes apply to each property. Sam Draper and our accounting team plan with you before you buy or sell, not just at tax time.
Led by Sam Draper, Director & Head of Accounting · Chartered Accountant (CA) · Xero specialist.
What’s included
Accounting services built for property investors.
The accounting help property investors rely on to claim what they are entitled to and plan ahead.
Tax returns with rental schedules
We prepare your return and rental property schedules each year, claiming every deduction you are entitled to and nothing you are not.
Depreciation and capital works
We work with your quantity surveyor’s schedule to claim capital works and eligible plant and equipment, and explain why some items in older homes can’t be claimed.
Capital gains tax
We work out the CGT when you sell, including the main residence exemption and the six-year absence rule where they apply.
Ownership structures
Individual names, joint, a family trust or a company: we model the tax for each before you buy, because changing structure later can be costly.
2026 rule changes
We review how the new negative gearing and CGT rules apply to each property you own, based on when and what you bought.
Tax planning
We plan before 30 June: interest prepayments, repairs timing and how rental income sits with your other income.
Structures we plan for
Sole traders
Partnerships
Companies
Family trusts
SMSFs
Not sure yours still fits? Business structure review
Industries we know well
Why us
If these problems sound familiar, you’re not alone.
The tax problems property investors run into most, and how we fix them.
Going it alone
Not sure what you can claim
Repairs and improvements mixed up
No depreciation schedule
Surprised by CGT on sale
Unclear on the 2026 changes
With Elephant Advisory
Every allowable deduction claimed
Costs classed correctly
Depreciation claimed every year
CGT worked out before you sell
Rules applied property by property
“We help property investors claim what they are entitled to and plan each purchase with the tax in view.”
Your accountants
Qualified, Xero-certified and easy to reach
FAQ
Let's clear a few things up.
No jargon, no runaround - just honest answers.
Not always, but it helps once you have more than one property or you are planning a purchase or sale. The rules on deductions, depreciation and CGT are detailed, and they changed in 2026 for established homes. Proactive planning beats a once-a-year return.
Generally the interest on the investment loan, rates, insurance, property management fees, repairs and depreciation. Improvements are claimed over time, not all at once, and travel to inspect a residential rental hasn’t been deductible since 1 July 2017.
For established residential properties bought after 7.30pm on 12 May 2026, from 1 July 2027 a net rental loss can only be offset against residential property income or gains, not your salary. Newly built homes keep the old treatment, and properties bought before that time are grandfathered.
It depends on your income, your family, your plans for the property and how you will borrow. Each structure is taxed differently and changing it later can trigger stamp duty and CGT, so it is worth modelling before you sign.
Usually, yes. A quantity surveyor’s schedule lets you claim capital works and eligible plant and equipment each year. For residential rentals bought after 9 May 2017, second-hand plant and equipment generally can’t be depreciated, so we check what you can claim.
Keep purchase, improvement and selling records for at least five years after you sell, because they are needed to work out your capital gain.
Related services
General information only. Talk to your accountant about your circumstances.
Phone
OFFICE HOURS
Mon to Fri: 8.30am - 6.00pm
By appointment only.
Elephant Financial Pty Ltd (ABN 38 611 576 240) trading as Elephant Advisory is an authorised credit representative (ACR 487962) of Yellow Brick Road Aggregation Pty Ltd (formerly Vow Financial Pty Ltd) (ABN 66 138 789 161), Australian Credit Licence 390261. Accounting and tax services are provided by Elephant Tax Pty Ltd (ABN 39 626 563 755), bookkeeping by Elephant Bookkeeping Pty Ltd (ABN 49 682 979 139), digital marketing by Elephant Digital Pty Ltd (ABN 72 692 273 091) and offshore staffing by Elephant Teams Pty Ltd (ABN 24 656 874 789).
Phone
OFFICE HOURS
Mon to Fri: 8.30am - 6.00pm
By appointment only.
Elephant Financial Pty Ltd (ABN 38 611 576 240) trading as Elephant Advisory is an authorised credit representative (ACR 487962) of Yellow Brick Road Aggregation Pty Ltd (formerly Vow Financial Pty Ltd) (ABN 66 138 789 161), Australian Credit Licence 390261. Accounting and tax services are provided by Elephant Tax Pty Ltd (ABN 39 626 563 755), bookkeeping by Elephant Bookkeeping Pty Ltd (ABN 49 682 979 139), digital marketing by Elephant Digital Pty Ltd (ABN 72 692 273 091) and offshore staffing by Elephant Teams Pty Ltd (ABN 24 656 874 789).
Phone
OFFICE HOURS
Mon to Fri: 8.30am - 6.00pm
By appointment only.
Elephant Financial Pty Ltd (ABN 38 611 576 240) trading as Elephant Advisory is an authorised credit representative (ACR 487962) of Yellow Brick Road Aggregation Pty Ltd (formerly Vow Financial Pty Ltd) (ABN 66 138 789 161), Australian Credit Licence 390261. Accounting and tax services are provided by Elephant Tax Pty Ltd (ABN 39 626 563 755), bookkeeping by Elephant Bookkeeping Pty Ltd (ABN 49 682 979 139), digital marketing by Elephant Digital Pty Ltd (ABN 72 692 273 091) and offshore staffing by Elephant Teams Pty Ltd (ABN 24 656 874 789).